Sustainability programs for undergraduate and graduate students
IUPUI students who are serious about sustainability should consider degree or certificate programs related to the field. Our campus proudly offers a variety of ways to study sustainability across nearly every school. Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, you can gain knowledge and experience in sustainability through numerous degree programs at IUPUI.
Here you will find a list of IUPUI programs that directly relate to the field of sustainability. However, the lens of sustainability can be applied to any discipline. Whether you're studying architecture, engineering, medicine, policy, law, or anything in between - there is a great deal you can learn about how to lessen the environmental, social, and economic impact in any field of work.
This program prepares students for graduate studies and for a variety of careers with emphasis on investigation of the environment by federal and state agencies, industry, and consulting firms. The program allows flexibility to accommodate the needs and interests of all students by offering three concentration routes:
We combine courses from chemistry, mechanical engineering, physics and electrical engineering to create a strong knowledge base essential to success in this industry. Students also have the opportunity to take courses concentrating on critical energy issues such as green building, hybrid and electric transportation, fuel cells and bio fuels, and energy systems such as wind, solar and nuclear.
Whether entering the workforce directly or continuing on to further education, graduates of this program will leave equipped to tackle the exciting and meaningful challenges ahead on the energy horizon.
The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geology are Indiana University degrees offered in the Department of Earth Sciences.
These degrees in geology give student a solid, interdisciplinary background in the sciences. Students use a foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and math to understand earth systems and earth processes. Geology encompasses the study of earth material (rocks, sediment, soil, petroleum) as well as the relationships between material, oceans, atmosphere, their interaction with biologic life, and their changes through time.
You’ll learn the importance, application, and relevance of earth sciences in modern society, and you’ll be encouraged to participate in research. Research is not limited to the laboratory and often includes learning opportunities in the field. The faculty and staff of the department provide an environment where students at all levels can explore, discover, and learn earth sciences through coursework and research.
At the end of the degree program, you’ll apply what you’ve learned in a capstone experience. The capstone could be a regional geology field trip, an internship, or a specialized seminar course.
Students earning a Bachelor of Arts degree may take a larger number of electives than Bachelor of Science students to create an academic concentration in another field that uses geology as a basis a for a wide variety of careers.
Organizations—now more than ever—need employees who know how to address sustainability issues and conserve the environment. With a major in Sustainable Management and Policy, you’ll learn how to develop and implement policies that help communities meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. The major is part of the BSPA degree, which will give you the flexibility of working in the public, private, or nonprofit sector.
The major will give you a strong public affairs foundation so that you have a practical understanding of economics, policy analysis, management, and urban policy. In your sustainability classes, you’ll examine the latest environmental topics from all angles and learn from industry experts and scholars.
The natural and built environment impacts human health – from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the places we live and work.
Our curriculum integrates prevention strategies, global health, sustainability and health, and preparing for and responding to emergencies.
This degree prepares students to:
Begin a career in health protection and injury and disease prevention;
Apply to advanced degree programs in public health and related fields; and,
Prepare for further training in medicine or other clinical fields.
The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geology are Indiana University degrees offered in the Department of Earth Sciences.
These degrees in geology give student a solid, interdisciplinary background in the sciences. Students use a foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and math to understand earth systems and earth processes. Geology encompasses the study of earth material (rocks, sediment, soil, petroleum) as well as the relationships between material, oceans, atmosphere, their interaction with biologic life, and their changes through time.
You’ll learn the importance, application, and relevance of earth sciences in modern society, and you’ll be encouraged to participate in research. Research is not limited to the laboratory and often includes learning opportunities in the field. The faculty and staff of the department provide an environment where students at all levels can explore, discover, and learn earth sciences through coursework and research.
At the end of the degree program, you’ll apply what you’ve learned in a capstone experience. The capstone could be a regional geology field trip, an internship, or a specialized seminar course.
Students earning a Bachelor of Arts degree may take a larger number of electives than Bachelor of Science students to create an academic concentration in another field that uses geology as a basis a for a wide variety of careers.
Environmental science encompasses processes occurring in air, water, and soil, and relates those processes to ecologic, societal, and individual health. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field, bringing together geology, chemistry, biology, geography, sustainability studies, public health, and public policy, as well as additional disciplines. Students obtaining the minor will be able to understand the fundamental processes governing environmental systems, and be equipped to interpret those processes in planning and policy discussions.
If you choose to minor in environmental science, you will be better prepared to study environmental science in graduate school or obtain jobs in research, public policy, law, engineering, etc. This minor also provides useful skills and background knowledge if you want to work at environmental consulting companies or related non-profit organizations. The minor is also ideal for Geology majors whose interests are primarily related to processes at the interfaces of environment and human interactions.
The minor in geology is designed to complement a major related to earth sciences in another program on campus.
The minor provides a general overview and context of the basic principles and concepts of geology. Additionally, the minor is a good option if you are interested in geology but do not wish to pursue a career in the earth sciences.
Organizations—now more than ever—need employees who know how to address sustainability issues and conserve the environment. With a minor in Sustainable Management, you’ll learn how to develop and implement policies that help communities meet the needs of the present without compromising the future.
This certificate is designed to address a growing need for professionals who can contribute to the green global workforce with knowledge in sustainable practices in current technologies. The Sustainable Technologies Certificate will be beneficial to students who want to acquire knowledge in areas of renewable energies, green building, and sustainable design, and who may want to pursue a career in a sustainable technology. All of the Sustainable Technologies Certificate courses are offered online.
The Undergraduate Certificate in Public Health will provide you with a foundation in public health theory and concepts, while also allowing you to choose one of two concentration options: Health Administration or Population Health Science.
Health Administration: Designed for students interested in learning about the administrative functions required to run public health and healthcare organizations. Completing the Certificate in Public Health-Health Administration will help prepare you for entry-level work in such organizations. Current public health professionals will find this Certificate to be a time-saving way to develop the additional skills needed for career advancement.
Population Health Science: Designed for students interested in learning more about the core areas of study in Public Health related to Population Health and integration of those concepts with various areas of discipline in healthcare and public health delivery systems. Completing the Certificate in Public Health-Population Health Science will help prepare graduates new to these fields for entry-level work in such organizations as well as provide additional skills to current public health professionals interested in career development.
The Environmental Policy and Sustainability concentration prepares students with the ideas and technical skills needed to address the challenges and opportunities found in handling environmental and sustainability issues in cities, nonprofits, and corporations.
This Environmental Policy and Sustainability concentration leverages the expertise of our faculty and has an above average expected job growth average (11 percent) in the environmental fields between 2014 and 2024. Those projections are based on the heightened interest of the public in hazards caused by the environment and population growth.
A united worldwide effort is underway to accelerate solutions to the world’s most complex and urgent global public health challenges. The MS in Global Health and Sustainable Development Program is designed for early to mid-careerists who would like a broad, contemporary foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities in global health. Graduates apply their expertise in varied roles that contribute to meeting global health goals that aim to improve health and wellbeing for people everywhere.
The global action plan led by the World Health Organization and other leading health and development organizations includes strategies that emphasize effective, sustainable policies and programs that, in addition to health and well-being, also prioritize health equity and social justice as pre-requisites for health and well-being for all. Our program supports these goals.
Please note: This program will no longer be available for enrollment to new students beginning with the fall 2023 term.
This master’s degree is the first of its kind in the world: it is the only academic degree available today designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the emerging field of product stewardship. Based in the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health’s Environmental Health Science department, the 30-credit degree can be completed as a part-time or full-time student. Students will take six credits of public health fundamentals, nine credits of environmental health science fundamentals and 15 credits of specialized product stewardship coursework that is taught by industry experts who helped invent the field. Classes are delivered online, in real time, as distance education courses.
The Master of Science degree in Geology is an Indiana University degree offered in the Department of Earth Sciences.
This degree in geology teaches a solid, interdisciplinary background in the sciences. Students use a foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and math to understand earth systems and earth processes. Geology encompasses the study of earth material (rocks, sediment, soil, petroleum) as well as the relationships between material, oceans, atmosphere, their interaction with biologic life, and their changes through time.
You’ll work closely with a three-person faculty advisory committee to complete your degree and research. We offer a thesis and a non-thesis option.
The Masters of Science in Geographic Information Science (MS GIS) integrates a suite of core courses with internship and independent research experiences to provide advanced training in the field of Geographic Information Science and its applications. Students completing the MS GIS will:
develop, manage and analyze spatial data using field and laboratory techniques
engage the rapidly expanding body of literature devoted to spatial data analysis and the application of geographic technologies
apply geographic technologies creatively in real-world settings to answer questions about spatial patterns and processes
This degree is designed for individuals interested in developing a better understanding of the law, but who do not wish to practice law or earn a J.D. degree. Knowledge about the law intersects with a wide array of other disciplines. You’ll have the opportunity to choose from among 150 courses, focusing on a variety of professions, including but not limited to:
Environmental Law is a growing and dynamic area of legal practice. IU McKinney’s Program in Environmental & Natural Resources (ENR) Law offers students the opportunity to examine complex issues in the news every day, including pollution control, energy and transportation policy, and environmental justice and equity, and resource development and conservation from a regional, national, and international perspective.
The Applied Earth Sciences Ph.D. program prepares students for academic positions or research and leadership positions in local, state, national, or private environmental organizations. The goal of the program is to prepare future researchers and leaders who assess complex environmental systems and assist in providing sound options and solutions for optimizing human-environment interactions.
Research specialization at the PhD level is supported by concentrations, which provide students with adequate technical expertise to excel in research and to be able to apply defined skills to a wide range of problems in applied earth sciences.
The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy and Sustainability is a 15 credit hour program of study. The certificate program is designed to increase awareness of environmental and sustainability issues from a public affairs/public policy perspective.
Protecting the environment has become a critical goal for numerous companies across all sectors of the economy. Graduates of this certificate program will be positioned to play a crucial role in advancing sustainability and social responsibility initiatives within their organizations.
The Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Social Change is a 15 credit hour program of study designed to teach students how to deal with large-scale, fast-moving change and innovation in public and common service delivery.
Leading and managing organizational change has been identified as critical challenge for the management of any organization; especially in light of the fact that only 30 percent of all change initiatives are successful. Organizations need employees who are prepared to adapt to a changing environment and successfully adopt and implement new practices or technologies.
This certificate offers students the opportunity to critically review, debate, and examine the theory and practice of social entrepreneurship. It is designed to provide current and future managers and leaders with an overview of important topics in this emerging field and begin to prepare them to develop and lead socially entrepreneurial ventures and initiatives.
The potential benefits of energy efficiency are tremendous. According to the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, more than half of expected growth in demand for electricity and natural gas can be avoided over the next 15 years. Globally, new energy efficiency standard, ISO 50001, has been established and implemented. Accordingly, the Department of Energy (DOE) has developed Superior Energy Performance (SEP) criteria. The companies certified by the ISO 50001 may be granted with the SEP status, which will give the companies tremendous advantages to do business globally. The implementation of this new standard and concept requires a workforce with an expertise in energy management and efficiency. Experts in energy efficiency will be greatly needed for improving energy efficiency, energy auditing, and SEP certification.
This certificate program is designed to address industry's increased needs for engineers who have expertise in energy management and efficiency. It will prepare today's engineers to be competitive in taking on the new challenges of energy efficiency facing industry. The purpose of this new graduate-certificate program in mechanical engineering is to enable engineers to become certified in energy assessment without formally pursuing a graduate degree.
Development of the next generation of fuel-efficient and environmentally-responsible advanced electric drive vehicles is one of the nation’s top priorities. The State of Indiana plays a major role in the design, development, and manufacturing of these types of vehicles, such as electric vehicle (EV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or plugin hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or their components. This is a very technically intensive and competitive field that requires multidisciplinary approaches. Expertise in the HEV technology will be greatly needed to meet the demands in the hybrid vehicle sector of the automotive industry.
This certificate program is designed to address industry's increased needs for engineers having expertise in EV/HEV/PHEV. It will prepare today's engineers to be competitive in taking on the new challenges facing the industry so that the companies in automotive sector can compete globally.
Now more than ever, “T-shaped professionals” are in high demand for their ability to collaborate across disciplines, build relationships, and advance innovation. These contemporary workers are characterized by the possession of deep skills in a specialty as well as the knack for solving problems in other areas of expertise, allowing them to move beyond boundaries. The emerging field of Design Thinking responds to this paradigm shift as a human-centered approach to connecting the dots.
This certificate program introduces a mindset as well as core skills in creative problem solving that can be applied to any discipline or field. Knowing how to investigate innovative solutions will enable you to actively apply, connect, and produce knowledge that meets complex human needs.
The IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health Graduate Certificate in Health Policy is an 15-credit hour program of study designed to meet the needs of working public health professionals who wish to advance their careers by continuing their education. Completing the Certificate will provide you with an introduction to health policy that will incorporate the rapid changes occurring in health care, complex ethical issues, and complicated financing systems.
Please note: This program will no longer be available for enrollment to new students beginning with the fall 2023 term.
The IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health Graduate Certificate in Product Stewardship is a 15-credit hour program of study designed to meet the needs of working product stewards who wish to advance their careers by continuing their education. Completing the Graduate Certificate will provide you with a strong foundation in product stewardship theory and concepts. Graduates who are later accepted into the Fairbanks School of Public Health Master of Science in Product Stewardship (MSPS) degree may be able to apply credits earned in the Graduate Certificate in Product Stewardship toward the MSPS degree.
